Issue - meetings

Background

This report sought Cabinet approval for the construction of a new floodlit artificial turf football pitch and associated changing pavilion at Watling Street playing fields, Gillingham. The report set out the proposal that the artificial pitch would replace an existing Council grass pitch and that the Medway Sport, Leisure and Tourism service would be responsible for the management of the new facility, including bookings, income and expenditure. It was anticipated that the provision of an artificial turf pitch would enable more intensive use by a wider range of community groups.

The Football Foundation had awarded Medway a grant of £884,976 for the initial single-site pitch development, subject to Medway Council providing match funding of £400,000. A further £35,000 had been committed by Anchorians Football Club.

The report requested that Cabinet recommend to Full Council to approve the addition of £1,319,976 to the Council’s capital programme to enable the project to be undertaken. The report also requested that Cabinet recommend to Full Council to approve the required match funding of £400,000, to be funded from Prudential borrowing.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken on the proposals, as set out in Appendix 3 to the report.

Reasons:

The capital sum requested will enable the development of a floodlit artificial football pitch, helping to address an identified need in Medway as expressed in the Medway Playing Pitch Strategy. Developing the project in partnership with the Football Foundation and an established local community football club will help create opportunities for future partnership investment in Medway.